Inspiration for your Lenten journey this year

Resources

- Looking for Lent and Easter regulations and important dates this year? Find them on the Archdiocese of Seattle's Officials page.

- The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has a great resource page including a calendar with daily activities and reflections and this handy Six Ways to Evangelize During Lent guide for when you're asked things like, So why aren't you eating pepperoni pizza this Friday?

- Catholic Relief Services' annual Rice Bowl program has several new additions this year including weekly recipes, videos with celebrity priest-chef Father Leo Patalinghug. Learn more at the Seattle Archdiocese's Missions Office's page.

- Keep your eye on the new Archdiocese of Seattle Facebook page for Lenten news and a focus on the sacrament of reconciliation this Lent.

Pope Francis' Lenten messages

- Lent comes 'to reawaken us,' pope says at Ash Wednesday Mass

- How to truly fast during Lent, according to the pope

Read this

- Our need for a little more mercy this Lent - By Joe Towalski

- How a B-movie about a purple alien was one tough penance for columnist Russell Shaw when he was a child

- Denise Bossert connects the creek near her childhood home to the idea of returning to the water during Lent in this column.

Palm burning at St. Hubert Parish in Langley teaches religious education students about the connection between Palm Sunday and Ash Wednesday.

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